"Let it be one cheerful rational voice amidst the din of mourners and polemics." Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1840.
A Brit-in-Helsinki's blog about global politics, climbing, cycling, things that annoy me and other bits of life. But not necessarily in that order.

Monday, February 04, 2008

Racism in Finland

You get racists in all countries, but in Finland racists still think its OK to share their racism with everyone, presuming that most others agree with them. Fortunately not all of do, and some will even stand up and complain.

HS reports that after many complaints the Finnish media watchdog has rapped the knuckles of YLE, the state broadcaster, for the comments made by a regular guest on one of their news programmes. The person concerned, Ritva Santavuori, a retired prosecutor no less (which makes you wonder about the blindness of her justice) made idiotic comments about Barack Obama's grandmother. Before she goes accusing other people of being ugly and having "residual Negroid features", she should look in the mirror. With her dyed-red hair she had residual stupid features.

And good for the folk who took the time to write or phone in complaint.